Finding Herself Along the Way
by UnattainableDarkAngel
Summary: Darkness. That's all she could see all around her. Complete and utter darkness. There was no beginning or no end. No flicker of light to guide her way. Everyone dealt with the war in different ways and to her, this was her way of dealing... her own personal hell. Her way of trying to cope with all the loss and all the grief. [Set after DH part 2 & before BD part 1 (senior year)]


***AN***

**I couldn't help myself. I had to put this in writing because it was just sitting there in my head screaming to get out. I know I said I wouldn't start another fic without completing my other ones, but hey... things happen. Because I've read a lot of Harry Potter/Twilight fics, I do hope that my idea was not accidentally copied. If it does sound similar, please let me know.**

**I do not lay claim to Harry Potter or the Twilight series.**

**Also, I updated my profile all the time to keep everyone in the loop on where my writing is going, so look at that. And there's a new poll that I've put up too. You can find me also on twitter if you have an account. My username is: SunshineGaliza.**

**Thanks.**

**Song on repeat while writing this: Taylor Swift "I Knew You Were Trouble"**

**-S**

* * *

Prologue-

Darkness.

That's all she could see all around her. Complete and utter darkness. There was no beginning or no end. No flicker of light to guide her way. Everyone dealt with the war in different ways and to her, this was her way of dealing... her own personal hell. It was also her own way of trying to cope with all the loss and all the grief. War takes a toll on people and for her, growing up ahead of her time wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Was there any hope of her ever finding her way back out of the dark?

When the war ended, she couldn't deal with all the sadness that surrounded the entire wizarding world. As they began to slowly pick up the pieces, she locked herself away from the world and grieved for the loss of many of her friends and comrades. Don't get her wrong, she tried to help with the rebuilding of Hogwarts with many of her friends and peers that did survive, she just couldn't handle the constant reminders of the happier times she had in that place she had considered to be her second home.

After her brief kiss down in the Chamber of Secrets with Ron Weasley, she had tried to make it work between them, but the past could not stay in the past and she was always left with the nagging feeling of being second best when it came to his feelings for her. Though she knew that sadly he could never continue to see where his relationship would go with the fallen Lavender Brown, the damage was already done and there wasn't anything that could make her see that she could be the one that he would want to spend his life with. So with a few hurtful words said between the both of them, they parted ways with a rift that with time would slowly heal.

Before the war had escalated, she had obliviated and implanted new memories into the minds of her parents before sending them off to a remote place somewhere in Australia to keep them safe and away from the war. When things became safe for her to bring them back, she found that the damage had already been done and there was nothing left for her to do but to let them live the rest of their lives in complete bliss. It pained her to do so, but after receiving word from Harry that there were rogue Deatheater's that have escaped, she didn't want to take anymore chances on their lives.

For weeks she had everything that she owned tucked, folded, packed and hidden in her infamous beaded bag that she was known to carry since the ending of 6th year. Tracking to see if she had any family left, she found a cousin of her fathers who lived in a town called Forks, Washington and looked them up. It took another week before she decided to pick up the phone and call them, hoping that someone would remember her father and that he had a family that lived so far away.

Having that squared away, she wrote everyone a letter the night before she left and spelled them to deliver the moment she was gone. In it, she wrote the exact same thing, except for the names:

_Dear _,_

_Please do not be angry with me, but I had to get away._

_I've found a distant relative of mine and was invited to stay._

_When you read this, I will be gone._

_But just so you know, if you need me, all you have to do is speak_

_the name I used when Harry, Ron and I were captured by_

_snatchers and this parchment will let me know that you need me._

_I have to do this. I need to heal on my own._

_I hope one day, you can forgive me._

_Always,_

_Hermione Jean Granger_

* * *

Hermione stood awkwardly in front of a house in Forks. Clutching her beaded bag in her hand, she blinked as the first raindrop fell upon her cheek. Looking up into the sky realizing that she had just arrived in time for the rain. And without a moment too soon, she pull up the hood from her sweater as the drops of rain continued to drop in a faster pace. Instead of running towards the house, she walked as if she wasn't drenched from head to toe. Apparation, even from a far distance drained magic from her core and after making stops from New York, to Texas, and even to the big city of L.A., she had finally made the last _jump_ and arrived in the great rainy state of Washington... even if it left her exhausted beyond point.

Tugging on a stray piece of hair that slipped out of her hair, she diligently knocked on the door before she lost her nerve and apparated to somewhere else entirely. Taking a deep breath, she plastered a smile on her face at the sound of the door unlocking and opening. Here it was. The start of a new, fresh life for her. As she stepped into the house and greeted the last family she knew of, she realized that there was no going back from here on out. This was it.

* * *

**A Few Weeks Later...**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Hermione's second cousin asked her softly, looking at her with compassion and worry.

With the help of her dad's cousins, she was able to enroll into Forks High School with the intent to graduate along with their daughter. And because muggle school records only showed her last attendance to be back to when she was only 10 years old, she had to use a bit of magic to come up with an alternative for the years she had missed when she had attended Hogwarts.

"I'm sure. I'll just concentrate on my studies, and graduate with you at the end of spring." she replied, packing her bag with everything she needed for the first day of school.

"Do you want to ride with me to school tomorrow?"

"I'll be fine. A walk will do me good." with her packing done, she turned around and looked at her second cousin with not a hint of emotion on her face, before quickly covering it up with a smile, even if it was fake. "You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine. And if it's not too much of a trouble, could we not say that we're related?"

"Why not?"

"I don't want your reputation to be tarnished my me." she chuckled halfheartedly.

"Screw my reputation. You're my family..."

She cut her off. "Please? For me?"

"I know you have a reason for wanting to stay closed off from people with what happened to your parents. I'm pretty sure I would be the same if my parents died while flying home from their vacation, but Hermione..."

"Not right now."

"I'm sorry." her cousin sighed, not wanting to give up but knowing that she had to—for now. "Just so you know. If you need anyone to talk to that's your age, I'm here. Okay?"

"Thanks." she turned until her back faced her cousin once more signaling that the discussion was over.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow then... Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The door shut behind her cousin quietly leaving Hermione on her own once more. Looking around the room, she sat at the edge of the bed contemplating on how limited she had accomplished on making the room her own. The room was painted Dartmouth green with white corners overlapping. A few pictures were up, charmed to be unmovable if her family came in unannounced of her and Harry; her, Harry, and Ron; a group photo of her and her fellow DA's; and her parents.

Against the wall by the closet was a bookcase that reached the length of the room from top to bottom which she was able to fill just fine. The curtains covering the windows were contrasted with black and silver, giving the room a dark feel which she didn't mind at all. Next to the bed, which was covered in prints matching the curtains was a beautiful oak desk that she was sure to use while studying or doing her homework.

Everything in the room, not including her bag (which she still kept most of her things in with the undetectable charm), photos, her limited amount of clothes, books, belonged to her. Before she arrived, this room that she still in the process of claiming as her own used to be a guest room for visitors of her family, which they happily gave up for her the moment she contacted them and asked if she could come live with them.

During the first night of dinner with the family she didn't know existed until recently, she noticed similarities of her father in his cousin Robert. To her, it felt a little awkward to be calling them cousins, and when he noticed her awkwardness with it all, he happily told her that she was more than welcomed to call them Uncle Robert and Aunt Rachel.

To her delight which she covered up so well was the fact that her 'uncle' had three children. They had daughter [who was seen talking to her earlier] that was around the same age as her, and two younger twin boys that reminded her so much of Weasley twins. Their quirkiness and happy mood made her feel content and calm, knowing that if they could be happy... so could she.

Later on that night, she laid in bed and stared all around her. With the room covered in darkness, the only hint of light she could see was insinuating from a street light near her window and the many glowing stars someone stuck all over the ceiling. She shivered under the many layers of sheets, wrapping them tightly as best she could around her body.

Before she left for the states, she had packed as much vials of the dreamless sleep potions that she could. When the war ended, she started to notice that she would wake up drenched in sweat, screaming till her throat was hoarse. Most times, her dreams would be of past memories of her time being interrogated by Bellatrix, or when the Snatchers thought it would be fun to gloat to Ron by having her in their clutches. Other times it would be about her being the only one left alive, surrounded by dead bodies of her loved ones.

"Please let me get through this." she whispered softly into the room. "I will not let this be the end of me."

Slowly, she closed her eyes willing the potion to do its magic to give her a peaceful nights sleep... it also didn't hurt to place a silencing charm over her room to, just in case she ended up screaming once more.

* * *

**The Next Day...**

Because Forks High School wasn't far away, Hermione decided earlier on that she would walk... at least until she could obtain her own drivers license and a vehicle. Seeing all the trees around her made her a little nostalgic for the fun times she had with Harry and Ron, though they were on the run at the time. Here in Forks the air had a clean, calm scent to it that entered and left her lungs leaving her with the feeling of being cleansed.

Not many cars passed by her as she made her way closer to her destination. The reason for it was probably because they lived on the opposite end of town where it was more secluded and the fact that it was still early for anyone to be heading towards the school anyway.

40 minutes later brought her finally to the schools parking lot which was already half full. Pulling her black coat tighter against her body, she tilted her chin up, trained her eyes to the entrance, and quickly made her way in back to where she was required to pick up her schedule and other necessities that she would need for school day.

* * *

**Elsewhere On Campus...**

The Cullen's had already arrived and were now standing near their cars waiting for Bella Swan, Edward's lady love to arrive.

Rosalie Hale [who was adopted by Carlisle and Esme Cullen yet kept her surname] was a beautiful blonde that had looks that could outdo any model in the world was talking quietly with her boyfriend/husband Emmett Cullen, the athletically built one out of the three adopted males present.

His adoptive sibling[s] Alice, the cute pixie was standing next to their other brooding looking brother Edward talking his ear off about how exciting the school year was going to be.

The lone person left in their group of adopted family members was Jasper Hale; twin brother to Rosalie. Out of everyone in the Cullen family, he was the most quiet from the rest of them. With his lustrous honey blonde hair and piercing gold eyes, he was a guy that dripped with mystery and secrets.

Before the siblings knew it, Alice stopped in the middle of her conversation and froze for a minute, returning back to conciseness the moment Jasper reached her side.

"Are you okay Alice? What did you see?" Jasper asked her with worry laced in his voice. Lately whenever Alice had a vision, it wasn't something good. He sent a wave of calm to the growing suspicion and concern of what she had seen.

"Alice?" Rosalie called out, looking at her sister.

"Someone is here. And by the looks of it, the person in my vision didn't just decide to come to Forks. They've been here for awhile now." Alice confessed her vision to them.

"Throughout the vision everything was in a blur, but we could get a few words out of it. Forks. Moving. Graduating high school." Edward listed the words he remembered hearing in the vision.

"It was as if my eyesight was covered with a plastic bag. I could make out the colors, but everything was just blurry. It's different than when I try to read the mutt's thoughts down in La Push." Alice's brow furrowed in agitation.

With this new development from Alice's vision, they almost missed Bella's arrival in her red truck.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" Bella asked once she reached the now huddled Cullen's.

"Someone's moved to Forks!" Emmett exclaimed, grabbing Bella in a headlock before Edward had a chance to hug her.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "She better not be another Bella." she retorted, walking away from the group.

"Hey!" Bella shouted over Emmett's arm at Rosalie's retreating back. Emmett laughed.

Edward, Alice, and Jasper followed in the direction Emmett and Bella were heading. Edward lost in thought, Jasper looking straight ahead and not thinking of anything in particular, and Alice... staring at Jasper with a look of confusion and worry.

* * *

***AN***

**So, what did you think for a prologue? It's been stuck in my mind and because this is a new fic, I'm setting my goals to be about 4,000+ words before I update (not including this one). This will be my main story when I'm not writing for "A God Amongst a Witch", but will be concentrating on both until completed.**

**I really do miss Washington. Went there last year and got to visit Forks and got myself souvenirs**** too while I was at it. Hehe. Sometimes I wish that I hadn't moved away from there. Oh well. When Hawaii rains, it makes me feel like I'm back there. :)**

**One more thing. I've found some really great romance books on Amazon for my kindle, so it'll be a couple days until I update again. I'm not one to pass up a juicy sounding read. Hehe.**

**Review, like, and favorite. :D**


End file.
